Mary-Jane Wedin

Mary-Jane (Robbins) Wedin, 88, passed away on February 25, 2022, at a Dover-Foxcroft healthcare facility with her loving husband by her side. She was born October 9, 1933, in Brewer, the daughter of Clyde and Dorothy (Pelletier) Robbins, and grew up in a large and loving family with seven siblings.

Mary-Jane never grew tired of telling us stories of growing up in those years and of all the adventures she had with her brothers and sisters. They had very little in the way of material things growing up- but they had everything, since they were the most loving family anyone could ask for. Mary-Jane met her future husband on a blind date when they were both students at Brewer High School. After graduation she worked for Merrill Bank. Mary-Jane was a great athlete in her youth, participating in basketball, volleyball, and softball as well as cheering in high school. After marrying John in August in 1957, they bought a home in Orrington, where they raised their children John, Gary and Patricia. Her life revolved around her family and friends. Their house was the center of the neighborhood when they had a swimming pool. The July 4th family reunions held at their home form some of the best memories of everyone in our extended family. Mary-Jane worked as a teachers aide as well as a Sunday School teacher and volunteered as a Cub Scout den mother when her children were young. She was a gifted oil painter and her paintings are cherished by her family and friends. She was a great support to John as he became a volunteer in Big Brothers Big Sisters and a Friend of Fort Knox. She and John enjoyed trips to Sweden and other places after John’s retirement.

Her greatest sorrow came in 1977 with the death of their son Gary in a car accident. Mary-Jane is survived by her devoted husband, John; son, John and wife Kristen and her children, Michael and wife Samantha, and daughter Diana and husband Mike, along with their children Owen and Olivia. She is also survived by her daughter Patricia and husband James Claus; siblings, Marilyn and husband Selden Blethen; Jacqueline and husband Paul Tower; Jeanne Hammond; Dorothy and husband Roland Andrews; Anne and husband Albert Allen; Steve and wife Marta Robbins. In addition to her son Gary she was predeceased by her brother Clyde (Bernard) Robbins and two nephews, Timothy Tower and Thomas Kelly Jr. She is also survived by several cousins, including all those in Sweden, and many nieces and nephews and their children, as well as Jason and Melissa Hancock and two daughters Emma and Riley, who are considered part of the family. She also leaves many lifelong friends all over the country, who have many cherished memories of her. The family would like to extend their warmest thanks to all those who took care of Mom in her illness, especially Jill Elliott, who was an extraordinary caregiver who was very devoted to Mom, along with all others from St. Joseph's Hospice, Kindred Hospice, Visiting Angels, Autumn of Life Home Care and Hilltop Manor.

A gathering of remembrance will be held in the Brewer Reception Rooms of Brookings-Smith, Brewer, at a day and time to be announced in the spring. Interment will be at Pine Hill Cemetery in Orrington in the family plot, beside her son Gary. Gifts in her memory may be made to Literacy Volunteers of Bangor, 354 Hogan Road, Bangor, ME 04401. Condolences may be expressed to the family at BrookingsSmith.com